. . . Mini is pressing ahead with its quest to produce more cars sized for the mainstream. No longer content to be the tiny rebel, Tom Noble, Mini’s GM for marketing, says the company wants you to think of the Clubman as the “cool uncle” in the family. The 2016 Mini Clubman lives up to the promise of being a full-blown compact car and seems to be the one that would fit the bill for lots of people. A big question with Mini’s previous offerings has always been one of value. With refined powertrain options and an interior that is nicely catching up to Mini’s price points, that will be less of an issue.
But a dynamic tension between Mini’s heritage and its future, more mainstream offerings will always remain. During a presentation by Noble, someone asked a question. “How many of your buyers know the cars are assembled in Oxford?” A member of the media (and fan of the brand) harrumphed, “98 percent!” The executive said it was probably more like a third. If they can create more cars like the 2016 Clubman, the real answer will be, “Who cares?”
